Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hi Stu,

You might post this info. over at VDrums.com, as there's some 
interest in checking out the Yamaha stuff over there....  Might help 
get the DTXTreme IIS on the floor....

Just curious: does Guitar Center buy the kits on display?  If so, 
they basically invest in the demo kits, and thus have the expense 
of upkeep, depreciation, etc. for the demo kits.  I could see how 
they'd want to limit demos....

But even if not, I could see how they'd want to limit demos only to 
gear that offers the best ROI; in the battle for showroom floor 
space, a manufacturer's products either moves, or they lose their 
real estate.....

####

Seems GC would be better off showing the DTXpress III SP vs 
the III, as they'd get lots of spill-over sales of the newer round 
cymbal pads, plus offer potential buyers a 'taste' of the PCY150S 
from the DTXTreme IIS....   

That's a tough break for Yamaha's DTXpress III line, since 
visually the non-SP kit looks alot like the older stuff, and visually 
raise an eyebrow to warrant further investigation by many 
buyers....  I don't follow that product line closely, and there's 
nothing to tell me a buyer upon casual inspection that it's a new 
product.

In that regard, I don't know why Yamaha EVEN offered the 
plain-jane III kit: why offer a kit with wedge pads, when everyone 
has left that behind?   It seems a tactical blunder now: Yamaha 
is stuck without the ability to get both kits on the showroom floor, 
so loses on the perception front (ESPECIALLY if the XTIIS is 
absent)....

###

I suspect Roland will milk the demand for the TD-20S by trickling 
kits out to dealers, and many dealers WILL get MAP for quite 
some time (at least for the initial waves of buyers).  That's bound 
to put a smile on many dealers faces, and THAT'S the kind of 
thing that gets you on the showroom floor: dealers not having to 
discount below MAP on hot new gear, and a manufacturer who 
protects the dealer's margins.

FWIW, I called my favorite Roland retailer a few weeks ago (the 
weekend after NAMM), and he already had (8) TD-20S kits 
pre-sold, with credit cards pre-authorized.  That's quite a 
statement, right there....

Chris 


--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Stuart McConaghy 
<stuart@s...> wrote:
> I've got some info on my employer Guitar Center's stand on the 
new 
> Yamaha DTXpress III and DTXtreme IIs sets. The DTXpress III 
(i.e., the 
> one with the pie-shaped cymbal pads) will be available in all 
stores 
> from pretty much the second week in February onwards. the 
DTXtreme IIs 
> will come in March to select stores only. If the store near you 
isn't 
> in a big market, i.e. Boston, NYC, Hollywood, Chicago or San 
Francisco, 
> you won't see a DTXtreme IIs in a GC showroom.
> As for the DTXpress III Special, the one with the new round 
cymbal 
> pads, GC will NOT be carrying them. They will NOT be 
available for 
> demoing, they will only be available on a special order basis.
> I personally am pretty disgusted about that, we have the 
showroom 
> space, and people want to try this kit, am I right? I'm in 
discussions 
> with our buyers and allocators to try and get them to 
acknowledge the 
> buzz on forums like this about this kit, but so far I'm running on 
deaf 
> ears. I'm not giving up, however, those guys know me as a 
person who'll 
> complain for months if I have to, and getting GC to carry Pacific 
drum 
> racks was one hell of an uphill struggle....
> My store, Orange, CT, will see the DTXpress III set, but most 
likely 
> not the DTXtreme IIs.
> 
> As for Roland, the V-Compact will be replacing the low-end 
Pintech 
> Spirit pad sets in GC's product roster, price at $899.99. The 
V-Tour is 
> currently priced at 1395.99, an will be available in a few weeks 
time. 
> V-Pro (TD20SBK) will be available in select stores (big market 
areas, 
> see above) fo $5499.99, that is, until Roland comes to their 
senses and 
> lowers MAP price. Again, my store will see the V-Compact and 
the 
> V-Tour, but unlikely the V-Pro.
> 
> I'll keep you all posted on any developments, I hope I can 
change this 
> trend of our management ignoring customer demands around, 
at least for 
> a little while. In the meanwhile, bug your local GC drum 
salespeople 
> and get them to relay to their buyers that you as a customer 
want to 
> check this set out, and demo then new gear.
> 
> Stuart McConaghy
> Canopus Drums
> Meinl Cymbals
> SilverFox Sticks